North By Northwest Review: A Classic Spy Thriller

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Released in 1959, North by Northwest follows Roger Thornhill as he gets caught up in an FBI scheme. We begin in New York, where Roger works as an advertising executive. He’s a busy man, running to and from meetings. It’s at one of these meetings that our real story begins; Mr. Thornhill is kidnapped. His assailants believe he is a man working for the FBI, hell-bent on exposing their operation.

For a movie that is 65 years old, it holds up well. I really enjoyed the suspense elements in the story, although it is clear this movie was made in a different era. Things move relatively slowly, playing out most of the scenes and developing our characters along the way. Unlike many spy/mystery movies, the focus really isn’t on the big twist. There are few hints, and Alfred Hitchcock does a great job of diverting the audience’s attention away from what is coming. Instead, full focus is placed on the story at hand, on the scene at hand.

It’s a mystery where the answer becomes clear 2 seconds before it is revealed, but it feels natural. The twists and turns all seem obvious after the fact, even if I had no idea they were coming. It’s an interesting way to tell a story, but I really liked the way it flowed. Without the jarring gasps of a sudden revelation, the story moves along at a consistent pace.

The main gripe I have with this story is the ending. Everything is drawn out and nicely explained, except the ending. It just ends. No off into the sunset, no closure, and I felt like our main characters earned that final detail. I know many people enjoy a thought-provoking ending, but I felt it didn’t fit the rest of the movie. A handful of the other movies on the Top 100 list are what I would call ‘thinky’ movies, where an ambiguous ending fits the vibe, Requiem for a Dream comes to mind. Here it felt like all the cards were on the table except one.

The characters in North by Northwest are very interesting. Roger Thornhill does not come off as your typical superspy, nor is he, yet he is the main protagonist. The simple man-turned-hero narrative works really well as Roger is a strong character.

He has his opinions and his morals, and he sticks to them. He’s not a coward by any means, which is part of the reason his character works well. By having this confident demeanour throughout the film, none of his actions feel off-brand. He acts as you figure he should, and this consistent character arc was a nice change of pace.

That’s not to say his character doesn’t develop over the course of the movie, but his moral compass remains in the exact same spot. His mind may open to other possibilities, but he still acts according to the same code.

The villains are great as well, Mr. Vandam and Eve Kendall. Mr. Vandam is a calculated man, running a tight operation. He’s ruthless, but his charismatic outer demeanour makes you think otherwise. Eve Kendall is the damsel in distress turned right-hand man to our villain. She seems to be a soft-spoken woman, but from the moment she and Roger meet on the train, it is clear there is more to her character. She balances the strong and soft sides of her character with grace, manipulating anyone and everyone at will.

The story is good, and the characters are great, but it’s the viewing experience that makes this movie even better. The dialogue is well done, stringing each scene together with ease. The visuals hold up quite well, especially some of the iconic scenes. The airplane scene in the cornfield was incredible, both thrilling and odd at the same time.

Running someone over with a crop duster, not a method of murder I had on my list of options. It’s creative and it looks great on screen. The Mt. Rushmore scene was also incredible. I’ll stay away from the details on that one as it is literally the final scene, but the quality is great. Again, it’s odd and thrilling, and I love the mix.

North by Northwest is an interesting spy thriller that has held up against the test of time. Although I have not seen many Alfred Hitchcock movies, the direction of this movie makes me want to explore his catalogue further. The movie looks great on the screen, even if it may be slow by today’s standards. The suspense is great, and the detail in every scene creates some attachment with the characters.